How to Treat Respiratory Distress in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Patients Without Using a Mask?

When it comes to treating patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), usually an exacerbation of congestive heart failure (CHF), non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NiPPV) is often the go-to therapy. However, studies show that more than 30% of patients cannot tolerate NiPPV due to mask intolerance.1 There is a multitude of strategies clinicians can employ to prevent NiPPV failure in mask-intolerant patients, though one of the best strategies may be to have the option of a mask-free interface for patients in undifferentiated respiratory distress.

The Efficacy of Mask-Free NIV™ for Spontaneously Breathing Patients
Vapotherm®’s Hi-VNI® Technology is a mask-free alternative to NiPPV for treating undifferentiated respiratory distress in adults presenting in the Emergency Department.2 A multi-center, randomized, controlled, noninferiority trial found no difference in the efficacy between NiPPV and Hi-VNI Technology in treating respiratory distress in this patient population. A recently published subgroup analysis of just the patients with a ADHF/CHF diagnosis at discharge found that there was no difference in the efficacy of treatment or risk for intubation between NiPPV and Hi-VNI Technology.3 However, the trial and analysis did find a difference in secondary outcomes as illustrated in Figure 1.

When examining the secondary outcomes of the trial, NiPPV and Hi-VNI Technology had similar results in terms of the need for monitoring and technical difficulty. However, Hi-VNI Technology was rated as superior when it came to physicians’ perceptions of patient response, patient comfort, and simplicity of use. Hi-VNI Technology’s mask-free interface may be one of the features contributing to these superior perceptions.

Why ADHF/CHF Patients May Especially Benefit from a Mask-Free Interface
The benefits of Mask-Free NIV for spontaneously breathing patients may be particularly pertinent for ADHF/CHF patients. In the aforementioned subgroup analysis, Haywood and colleagues posit the following about the possible importance of trying to avoid further agitating ADHF/CHF patients:

“A large contributor to the cardiopulmonary decompensation of patients in heart failure is increased catecholamine release which redistributes splanchnic blood flow. Many of our current therapies for acute treatment of this population are directed at countering this increased sympathetic surge. In many patients, a tight-fitting mask increases agitation. This may increase sympathetic tone, thereby counter acting our resuscitative efforts.”2

Experiences of Emergency Department Physicians
In a conversation with several Emergency Department physicians, the VP of Medical Affairs for Vapotherm asked them about their personal experiences using the technology on CHF patients. Their anecdotal reports are in line with the subgroup analysis findings regarding the effectiveness of the tool. You can watch the 3-minute excerpt of their conversation below.

While the subgroup analysis was not powered for a definitive conclusion, the results are interesting. Despite these limitations, the authors conclude that the results of this analysis “provide permission to use HVNI in … patients presenting to the ED with respiratory failure secondary to ADHF that do not require emergent intubation.”3

The ventilatory support of NiPPV with the comfort of humidified high flow?

Unlike NiPPV, Hi-VNI Technology is low pressure and mask-free.

In this guide, learn if Mask-Free NIV is an option for spontaneously breathing patients in your hospital.